Abstract:

South Africa’s announcement and implementation of a legalising amnesty
under the Zimbabwe Documentation Project (ZDP) in 2010 was lauded as a step away
from the laissez-faire approach to Zimbabwean immigration. The amnesty, granting
migrants stay, work, study and business operation rights in the country on 4-year
permits, was clouded by uncertainties and exclusions and implementation hassles. This
article explores this legalising amnesty in relation to trends in Zimbabwean immigration
over the years, noting in particular the complexity and fluidity in migration
patterns. The article highlights these complexities and how they expose the limitations
of any ad hoc and short-term approach to managing complex immigration flows. It
argues that such an approach fails to recognise differences in migration trends over time
and space, sources of migration and migrant’s strategies, and, more importantly, that
these factors result in different migrants with differing needs. As way of conclusion, the
article suggests that any progressive immigration strategy on Zimbabwean immigration
should not only build on the BTemporary Immigration Exemption Status for
Zimbabweans^ of 2009 and embrace ideals of diversity, inclusivity and openness but
also draw upon existing efforts at regional cooperation and integration.